Microsoft's ballyhooed new "connected technology," collectively called .NET, or Dot Net, has been slow to take off largely due to Redmond's inability to present a clear and unified branding strategy. But, some new toolkits from Microsoft might help spur adoption and developer interest.

One example: Dot Net Alerts. Basically, if you use MSN Messenger, and if you've ever seen one of those pop-up alerts from the Messenger icon in the Windows tray, you've already witnessed Dot Net Alerts in action. Microsoft has created a software development kit (or SDK) that enables developers to tap into this powerful way of communicating with users. Here's some info straight from the horse's mouth:

"Research shows that the .NET Alerts service has a response rate of 3–5 percent or greater, compared to less than 1 percent for direct mail or e-mail. In addition, alerts delivered to a desktop or mobile device will not get lost in a customer's cluttered inbox. Because .NET Alerts allow you to reach customers at the moment of opportunity with relevant, engaging messages that they have opted for, customers are more likely to respond immediately."

Sounds intriguing, eh? But, keep in mind that your users must have Passport accounts to use these Alerts, so if you decide to monkey around with this, be sure to know your audience in advance to find out if it's worth your company's time to experiment.